As I was driving the half a mile to work, I started thinking about a friend that was having a hard time in a relationship and all that he had told me and couldn't help but think the negative effects of this effects this job comes with. We all want to be heroes, we all want to save lives but no one really realizes the severe mental aspects that come along with it. They realize it when there marriage and or relationships keep falling apart or they are depending on alcohol or drugs to keep them moving. Now these days police academies and fire academies are spitting out police officers and firefighters like candy. Firefighters run into a burning building to save someones property or save one of there own that is trapped. Police Officers are ready to catch the bad guys and be marriage counselors but also are willing to lay down there life for the common citizen and or common criminal. Ems workers most of the time go into a scene not knowing only that someone is injured and need help. Firefighters and Ems workers only have to 18 to become one but Police Officers have to 21 in the State of Texas to carry a handgun. If you take a look at the firefighters,ems and police officers under the age of 25 there are a lot of them. I have come to realize that even though the state says you are old enough to run into a burning building, save a life, or able to carry a badge and gun your are not mentally. Don't get me wrong I have met some that are very mature for there age but most are. For being around Law Enforcement since I was 15 and been working in it for 8 years I myself have seen the toll it has taken on rookies and myself. I have been with this Dept I currently am employed at and have seen rookies grow up to become outstanding officers. I have seen the roller coaster of emotions that we all go thru, you can see the stress and strain it puts on these new officers as it goes from being compassionate to being emotional numb. I have known several veteran officers that sit at home with there thoughts alcohol and or pills and get wasted behind oblivion so they forget but what they don't realize is they will always be there and will never go away. For some loneliness becomes your friend which is not good. I have come to realize that all in emergency services all have a vice whether you know it or not. Some like alcohol, pills, sex some may like all or 2 out of the 3 just depends on what you like. In this work environment we tend to get close with each other cause we depend on each other. Sometimes we get very close and feelings grow and relationships form. I myself have had several relationships with people I work with and with people in the same field that I don't work with. I have found that sometimes these relationships do work and sometimes they don't. Being in a relationship and being in this line of work with someone who is in this line of work also takes alot of commitment. If you are more committed to your job and not your family at home it will all go south if your family and or significant other doesn't understand one will have to give. Emergency services marriages don't last long divorce rates are the highest due to the demand of the job. Infidelity, loneliness are two of many things that are experienced. Many spouses or significant others get tired of being the mistress in the relationship cause most officers are married to there jobs and hardly see there families due to work, extra jobs, etc. It is very rare that some don't have any relationship issues but I can guarantee most do. All that said all this leads to stress. Stress from work, home, relationship it strains emergency personnel that some develop anxiety/depression. Every emergency personnel suffer from anxiety/depression at one time in their career, so may not show it but we all do. Its even worse after suffering from a major incident if not treated properly. Depression plays a huge role cause the environment is always full of negative,cynical people that it tends to rub off since you spend at least 8 to 10 hours with someone. Its very hard to stay positive and have faith when in this type of profession but can be done. So, if I knew about all this before I got into this field would I continue on this path I don't know. It would probably would make people think twice before going into something like this. Everyone says you know what you got yourself into before you signed that dotted line but actually you don't, your just ready to save some lives and become the heroes. What you don't know is this profession will either make you or break you and sadly can kill you.
Even though this video is a tribute to Third Watch it shows how some mental effects have from being in this profession
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